PC Rules

Onhwy61, what are the purposes of stage 1 and stage 2 ?

Kurt_tank,your first paragraph is 100% correct. The only thing that's relevant to this discussion is the computer interface. With this interface, you would get the same results. When there is a demand for this product, it will appear.

What I did, is not rocket science; upgrading components by replacing capacitors isn't new.

Please believe me, I'm not trying to be brash; when you think about your question, and my answer, you'll realize this.

Mr._Hosehead, the computer is in the basement, and the listening room is upstairs. I recorded the LP through an Audiolab 8000-C pre to line in of computer interface. I added this to my playlist. After that, I took the TT upstairs to phono of Audible Illusions. The computer comes to tape in of Audible Illusions. The TT was cued in at the beginning of the same LP that was being played back from the playlist. I could switch back and forth between the phono and tape, this allowed me to make a very good comparison. The difference was striking; record noise was audible from the TT, but none from the playback. Now that my records are on hardrive, I no longer use the TT.

It is unlikely that this product will ever reach the market: A- you don't believe it, B- computer people don't need it, C- no one is going to put money into something without a market.

Tomcy6, I'm glad someone else beside me, is aware of this phenomenon.

The LP I used was pristine and washed. If you played it on your "high end rig", you would say there was no noise; however, if you made a side by side comparison with a "blacker" background, you would discover there was noise you were unaware of.

Reviewers who reviewed FM Acoustics phono pre's described this phenomenon; they called it "outer space black".

The original recording is those "squigly" things on black vinyl. The quality of the components between those "squigly" things and your ear determine how good the sound is. Each time the signal goes from one stage to the next, a new signal is born; consequently, by the time it gets to your ear, it has been reborn many times.

ONE hot summer’s day a Fox was strolling through an orchard till he came to a bunch of Grapes just ripening on a vine which had been trained over a lofty branch. “Just the things to quench my thirst,” quoth he. Drawing back a few paces, he took a run and a jump, and just missed the bunch. Turning round again with a One, Two, Three, he jumped up, but with no greater success. Again and again he tried after the tempting morsel, but at last had to give it up, and walked away with his nose in the air, saying: “I am sure they are sour.”
“IT IS EASY TO DESPISE WHAT YOU CANNOT GET.”

It's much more fun this way.

Onhwy61, your statement in regard to the solid state preamp is valid. The stock interface was "crap". After you get a better cartridge, do you say the sound from the lesser cartridge was the true sound, since it was the first one you heard?

Think of this as you would a DTI; a digital transmission interface which functions between the transport and the DAC. Almost any transport DAC combination will sound better with a good DTI.

This is a phono computer interface. The better the TT rig, the better the end result. While there are high quality DTI's, there seem to be no high quality "phono computer interfaces". The best results in downloading vinyl to hardrive are impossible without one, which is why I purchased what was available and replaced parts.

Onhwy61, if you use noise reduction equipment, the copy is better. If you record to 1/2 track tape, the copy is better.

When you use a phono pre, the pre is making a new copy from the cartridge; each phono pre is different, what sound is the original sound? Every time you change equipment, you get a different sound, which sound is the original sound?

I encountered a hum problem when I went "phono in". That will require complete disassembly and a new modification. This will take a day.

As a result of Onhwy61's comment, I went "phono in" on the interface. After encountering a "hum" problem that required a complete disassembly and new modification, I'm back.

"Santana Abraxas" is the test record. I bought this record in 1971, this is my third copy; the record I'm using is new. To say I'm familiar with this record is an understatement. I played this at a high end emporium using Sota, Arc electronics and top of the line Thiel speakers, that's what I'm going to be comparing today's results with. The cover on this album is the most provocative I've ever seen, you can check it out online.

"Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" is the first cut, it's also my favorite. These "tinkly" chimes test a systems resolution like you wouldn't believe. I'm going to enjoy the music and give you my conclusion later.

While listening to Santana I could see faces and places flash before my eyes; head shops in Chicago, events that lasted for three straight days in the park. That was a time when everything was "cool and groovy"; it was "The Age of Aquarius", those were the days my friend, I thought they would never end. This is what I call "the flashback factor", it's got to be good when that happens.

In the comparison with Sota, Arc, and Thiel, you could see the music; no such luck, but this was better than I have ever heard on my rig which includes: Grado Sonata, Rega P3-24, incognito tone arm wire, heavyweight for tonearm, Sheer Audio Platter, Groove Tracer sub platter; those tweaks help a lot.

with the stock new interface, I got the best results going "line in". It's an excellent product for "non audiophiles". After the mods, going "line in" had become a habit. Not until Onhwy61's comments did I go "phono in". The sonics were so improved over going straight into the listening room pre, that there was no need to haul the TT upstairs. While the most dramatic improvement was in dynamic range, there was improvement across the entire spectrum, similar to a big upgrade in cartridge.

I don't believe an audiophile PC interface for analog will ever be available. When you say "analog", PC people give you a blank look, and when you say "PC", analog people don't believe what's possible. But it's all about "whatever floats your boat". My mission is accomplished, enjoy the music.

In regard to audio, PC is 100% unlimited; the only limitations are the input and output audio devices.

Imagine if you will, a square wave, as opposed to music on the record. My rig will slightly round off the corners, while a much more expensive rig would do a better job. This square goes to the 1st stage of the interface where it is reproduced as a better square due to the upgraded capacitors. That stage gives the signal to a 2nd stage before it enters the computer and is transformed into digits. The 2nd stage makes a larger improved square as a result of the capacitors.

After the signal is changed to digits it goes to the hardrive. Square, triangle, or circle are all the same to the computer and it's digits. Those digits are stored on the hardrive where I can select them for my "playlist". On playback, the digits go to a Music Streamer II where they are transformed back into analog and sent to the preamp.

All of this enables me to hear my 40 year old LP's in a fashion that I never heard them before I posted on the "hum" problem. What I hear now, is a quality of sound that reviewer's describe when relating their first listen to a very expensive analog rig. "My old music sounds brand new, it was almost like hearing it for the first time". Of course, if you can afford that type of analog rig; why not skip the digits.

Enjoy the music.